MOULDED TRIM PART FOR A VEHICLE

Abstract

A moulded trim part for a vehicle, comprising at least one open cell polyurethane foam layer and wherein the trim part further comprises at least one tape consisting of continuous mineral filaments aligned substantially unidirectional and extending longitudinal parallel to the main direction of the at least one tape and wherein the continuous filaments are embedded in a thermoplastic polymer matrix and wherein the at least one tape abuts against and is laminated to at least one surface of the at least one open cell polyurethane foam layer.

Claims

1. A moulded trim part for a vehicle, comprising, at least one open cell polyurethane foam layer, at least one tape consisting of continuous mineral filaments aligned substantially unidirectional and extending longitudinal parallel to the main direction of the at least one tape, and wherein the continuous filaments are embedded in a thermoplastic polymer matrix and wherein the at least one tape abuts against and is laminated to at least one surface of the at least one open cell polyurethane foam layer.

2. The moulded trim part for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tape has a thickness between approximately 0.1 to 0.8 mm.

3. The moulded trim part for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tape has a three dimensional shape in the form of at least one crease or corrugation extending longitudinal parallel to the main direction of the continuous filaments.

4. The moulded trim part for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer matrix is a copolymer of polyester or a polyamide.

5. A moulded trim part for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the continuous filaments are glass filaments, carbon filaments, or basalt filaments.

6. A moulded trim part for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the height of the three dimensional shape of the at least one tape is at least 2 mm and the height of the three dimensional shape of the at least one tape is less than 25 mm.

7. A moulded trim part for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the width of the at least one tape is 15 to 150 mm as measured in-plane following the surface contour of the cross section profile of the tape, perpendicular to the main direction of the continuous filaments.

8. A moulded trim part for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the open cell polyurethane foam has a density of 8 to 20 kg/m.sup.3.

9. A moulded trim part for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a thermoplastic film layer, a metal film layer, a nonwoven scrim layer, or a coating layer.

10. The moulded trim part for a vehicle according to claim wherein the film layer is pervious to air.

11. A method of using the moulded trim part for a vehicle according to claim 1 as a hood liner, a bonnet liner, a head liner, or an engine cover.

12. A method of producing the moulded trim part for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least one open cell polyurethane foam layer and at least one tape are put in a mould such that a surface of the at least one foam layer abuts a surface of the at least one tape and converting the at least one foam layer and the at least one tape under heat to form the trim part.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the mould has a first mould half and a second mould half forming in closed position the shape of the trim part and whereby in closed position of the mould, the mould half directly in touch with the tape or facing the foam surface carrying the tape, forms at least the tape in a three dimensional shape in the form of at least one crease or corrugation extending longitudinal parallel to the main direction of the continuous filaments.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one foam layer and the at least one tape are converted using pressurized steam.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein at least one additional layer can be included in the trim part at least one of a thermoplastic film layer, a metal film layer, a nonwoven scrim layer, or a coating layer.

16. The moulded trim part for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the polyamide is a co-polyamide, polyamide-6, or polyamide-66.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0078] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle with a trim part according to the invention.

[0079] FIGS. 2 A, B and C shows a schematic picture of a trim part according to the invention.

[0080] FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross section (A-A) of the trim part of FIG. 2A according to the invention.

[0081] FIG. 4 shows a schematic picture of a three dimensional shape defining the height (H).

[0082] Same elements are numbered the same throughout the figures.

[0083] FIG. 1 shows a drawing of a vehicle (1) with the hood or bonnet (4) of the engine compartment (2) open, showing an example of a bonnet liner (3), according to the invention. Bonnet liners are mounted on the hood facing the engine, being the source of noise, when the hood is closed. Therefore the trim parts cover a large surface and are hanging substantially horizontal under the hood when it is closed, solely carried by the mounting means. Therefor the main surface area of the trim part is prone to sagging. By using at least one tape according to the invention preferable at the surface facing the bonnet (not shown) the bending stiffness can be enhanced and the sagging prevented.

[0084] FIGS. 2 A, B and C show examples of moulded trim parts in the form of bonnet liners (3) according to the invention. The figures show the trim part at the surface normally facing the bonnet or hood inner surface, facing away from the engine as the source of noise. The bonnet liner consist of at least one layer of open cell polyurethane foam (8) with at least one tape (6) placed on the surface of the foam (8) before moulding the part and all layers were moulded together to form the bonnet liner (3) shown in figure A, B and C. Figure A, B and C shown different layouts for the tape.

[0085] By using the tape according to the invention deflection of the trim part may be reduced due to the, at least locally increased bending stiffness. Advantageously one or more tapes are applied in the form of a strip or beam. The position of the tape and well as the width, length and the dimensional shape might be designed and optimized in order to achieve the required bending stiffness. The number of fixation points (5) may be reduced when using for example bonnet liners according to the invention; however the number of fixation points is also defined by the design of the vehicle as well as the bonnet liner.

[0086] FIG. 2A is showing an example of a bonnet liner (3) according to the invention with one tape (6) stretching in longitudinal direction of bonnet liner. The main direction of the continuous filaments in the tape, being longitudinal to the main direction of the tape, is indicated by the arrow (7).

[0087] FIG. 2B is showing an example of a bonnet liner (3) according to the invention with two tapes (6) crossing the bonnet liner. The main direction of the continuous filaments in the tape, being longitudinal to the main direction of the tape, is indicated by the arrow (7).

[0088] FIG. 2C is showing an example of a bonnet liner (3) according to the invention with three tapes (6) extending essentially parallel to the short side of the bonnet liner. The main direction of the continuous filaments in the tape, being longitudinal to the main direction of the tape, is indicated by the arrow (7).

[0089] FIG. 3 is showing schematic cross section A-A (9) of the trim part shown in FIG. 2A. The open cell polyurethane foam layer (8) and the tape (6) are formed to a three dimensional shape and the foam layer is abutting the tape. The main direction of the continuous filaments in the tape, being longitudinal to the main direction of the tape, is indicated by the arrow (7). By forming the tape in a three dimensional shape the tape behaves as a beam further enhancing the bending stiffness. The shape shown is an example with 2 corrugations; preferable at least one corrugation is made. Examples of corrugations can be a wave or wavy curve, or a U or V or W shape, or combinations of shapes.

[0090] FIG. 4 shows the cross section of an example of a three dimensional formed tape to show that with the height H the actual distance between the lowest point and the highest point of the corrugation or three dimensional shape is meant independent of the shape of the corrugation. Furthermore dashed line 10 shows the way to access the width of the tape following the contour of the profile.